Tagged with Patient …

Ugh

  I’m dreading my MRI tomorrow.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this process is like playing Russian Roulette with a loaded gun. I’ve managed to survive 11 empty chambers and now I’ll wait tomorrow to see if the 12th chamber will serve up a blank or a bullet. Thank God for sedation and the lingering after effects … Continue reading →

Reservations

The Magical Magnetic Adventure, no. 12 has been booked. Definitely not a trip to Disney, but with an IV cocktail for claustrophobia it’s certainly a trip somewhere. 1pm on 11.11.10, the tour begins. As a bonus, the tour, free of charge, includes a blow-by-blow blog post of any misadventures once I sober up. For your reading entertainment, previous magical … Continue reading →

The Dialogue

Some moments just stick with you. A moment not out of the ordinary in my realm, but it’s provided some reflection on where life and this piece of shit brain tumor has brought us. At a Patient Family Advisor Council meeting last week at Emory we were progressing through introductions when a profound dialogue occurred. There … Continue reading →

A Fateful Friendship

Two years ago in October, I waited eagerly and nervously in my foyer for Kevin to arrive. We had talked on the phone a week earlier when I had bluntly conveyed my dilemma. I needed my hair cut and colored. Yet, there was a twist. It was important for me to share with him before he … Continue reading →

730

730 days ago tomorrow, everything changed. I signed on the dotted line. Page after page of dotted lines I signed. Thinking all the while that I must have already lost my damn mind. It had to be good and gone if I was willing to give someone the opportunity and privilege to remove a piece … Continue reading →

Silent Struggle

I’d be loaded if I got a dollar every time someone told me they don’t see a difference in me post surgery.  You have no idea how I’ve mastered pretending, hiding and compensating. It’s exhausting. I like writing because I can spend as much time as I need to get my thoughts out. My short-term memory … Continue reading →

Cue the Violins

Stupid headaches. I hate them and hate why I have them. Stupid piece of shit brain tumor. I was less than thrilled yesterday when, at the drop of a hat, the world started to get dizzy and I started to feel off-balance and the invisible vice clamped onto my head. It’s not even raining. What … Continue reading →

Moments That Give Pause

This post was challenging to write and I’ve hesitated. Hesitated because I don’t believe this is how the majority think or how they work or interact. In-fact, I believe it’s a small minority who, whether burned out or over worked; they’ve lost a connection to the work and people they’ve pledged to help. I write … Continue reading →

54

In my post Tactical Diversions and Spontaneous Entertainment, I promised to share more about what my “Magical Magnetic” experiences are like and give you a sneak peek. I hate to disappoint, but I have no superpowers yet. I still get smoked in Mario Karts by Tucker and to Paul’s disappointment, magnets when tossed at me, … Continue reading →

Warning: Currently Under The Influence

Thanks to an early afternoon IV cocktail of sedatives to get through my MRI for a nasty case of claustrophobia, I just woke up from a nap and am just about ready to climb back into bed and sleep the rest off. Playing patient is so exhausting. My phone is lighting up like a Christmas … Continue reading →

For Those Who Just Must Know

Maybe it’s because I have two boys. Maybe it’s an undying curiosity and an inability to respect personal and private boundaries. Maybe I am too sensitive to the subject. Nevertheless, I am asked all the time if I want more children. If I want to try for “that girl”. I’m asked if three boys are … Continue reading →

Sharing, Unexpectedly, A Story About Day 1

I volunteer my time as a Patient and Family Advisor for Emory Healthcare as a part of their Patient and Family Centered Care initiative. Working in partnership with administrators, physicians and nurses, I participate in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of healthcare at Emory.  Simply put, it’s about including patients and their families as integral … Continue reading →

I Declare!

I declare, my kingdom of readers, that people say some really fascinating things. Trust me. Aside from the good stuff, the funny stuff and just plain silly stuff; there’s the “other” stuff.  The shitty stuff, the stupid stuff and the “you can’t possibly be that much of an asshole” stuff. I’ve attempted to approach my quandary (the piece of … Continue reading →